1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for storing roll materials in a hangar and a pickup flatcar to be used in this apparatus, and more particularly, to a systematized novel apparatus for storing roll materials, adapted to establish an elevating passage between stock spaces of the roll material, a rail being formed perpendicular to the passage, a pickup flatcar running on the rail to the required place, wherefrom the built-in carrier in the flatcar moves up and down to position the roll material on the required place or to take it out on demand. This apparatus is thus applicable to roll materials, such as paper rolls, woven cloth rolls, roll films, steel rolls or other similar materials, and benefits the proper control of inventory stocks thereupon.
2. Description of the Related Arts
One known apparatus for storing rolls includes plural sets of shelves which are disposed face-to-face with a cage rail prepared therebetween, an entrance being formed on the upper part or the lower part of the rail while an elevator cage is established with a pallet, whereas the palletized goods are placed on the required shelf. On the contrary, when the palletized goods need to be taken out, the elevator cage is sent to the required shelf to take out the same in the palletized condition. Indeed, this art is quite adequate for box-shape materials which do not move easily.
In the past, when one prepares to store a roll of material which tends to roll and move like a paper roll, cloth roll or film roll, the material is needed to be arranged lengthwise in series. This requires some extraordinary oblong stock space accordingly and promotes poor efficiency for storing space. In addition, when such roll materials are stocked in a multi-hangar having a large number of stocking rooms opposite each other and cage rail therebetween, an extra corresponding passage to each unit room is necessary for carrying the material. This passage shall occupy a large space therewith and the efficiency of stock space is largely sacrificed.
Recently, in order to avoid the above inefficiency, a roll stocker apparatus which contains only roll materials has been developed. This roll stocker apparatus is explained as follows. A pair of endless chains is equipped oppositely in a loop for transfer. A flying ring is formed on each chain at the required pitch in order to hold the roll material by each core end. The roll material is hung by each chain and transferred by motor operation, and thus the roll material is stocked in the hanging condition.
This roll stocker apparatus, although it has merit for taking the required material out with ease on disposal, has some inevitable defects. During transferring movement, the roll material is forced to move to and fro like a pendulum so that adjoining materials may bump each other and thus damage the material itself. Because of the potential for bumping, speed of the chain movement is limited and therefore it takes a long time to use. Even if only one material is needed to be taken out therefrom, all materials on the corresponding chain orbit must be moved, which causes a large waste of energy. Of course, in order to avoid the above-mentioned bumping, the pitch between the flying rings can be widened, but this negatively influences the efficiency of stocking space.